The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-21
FIRST MASS IN AMERICA.
How, When, Where and by Whom it
Was Celebrated
From the New York Herald.

| from the NeU YORK Hefdt0.
| ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA, April Alt was
some envious Britisher-was it not2-who
said that no town in America ever improved
or reached the dignity of city until it had
experienced Ia first-class confagration."
This cranky notion might possibly hold
good of some of the ''shanty towns in the
| Great West, but with the "Ancient Cityn
the case is quite different
Here in ST. Augustine all of the older
portion of the town-and by far the largest
| portion of it is 300 years old-is built of
| coquina, a conglomerate of sea shell and
sand which hardens with age and with
stands the ravages of time most admirably
However, we have had our first confiagra-
| tion-the first big fire of any serious conse-
quence and of anything like respectable
proportions since the founding of this city
by the Spaniards in 1865. Nearly $500, 900
! worth of property has been DESTROYED aud
several old landmarks have been swept
away, which were not only the pride and
joy of the modern st. Augustines, but
which were also the generation and admira-
ton of the country at large and of particu-
lar interest to the student and lovers of
antiquity
THE OLD SPANISH CATHEDRAL.
Chief among the losses by last TUESDAYS
fire was the old Spanish Cathedral, built in
1873 upon the very spot where the first mass
ever celebrated in America was chanted by
monks, who came over with the Spanish
conquerors under the command of Pedro
Menendez de Avilers
This occurred on Sept. s, 1865, on the day
dedicated to the memory of St Augustine
and the place was named in honor and com
memoration of that learned and pious saint.
This was seventeen years prior TO the set
Element of Santa Fe, N. NJ, forty-two years
before the intrepid Capt. John Smith met
Miss Pocahontas, or built his first log hut at
jamestown, Va, and fifty-five years previ-
Gus to thelanding of the Pilgrims on Plym-
outh Rock
So, you see, st. Augustine has right to
feel proud of the distinguished title she bears
of the Ancient City," being the oldest
European settlement in America.
But her chief pride and glory was, after
al, centred in and around her cid Cathedral
now blackened mass of ruins The walls
still stand, and an effort is going TO be made
to save them; but the roof is gone and the
entire interior is burned out
THE FIRST MASS IN AMERICA.
Now the story connected with the found
ing of this quaint old structure and its de-
struction last Tuesday forms such an inter
eSting narrative, and is SO interviewer with
the history of Florida, and consequently
with America, that l cannot refrain from
rehearsing it.
As stated above, the cathedral was
erected on the spot where the first mass ever
said in America was celebrated As this
first mass in America" by this act there
fore becomes part and parcel of the building
itself, we cannot do better than let Fray
Francisco Lopez de Mendoza, the chaplain
of the expedition, tell the story in his own
words. He says:
ION Saturday, the sth day of September.
h. 1...v g n
General disembarked, with numerous ban
ners displayed, trumpets and other martial
music resounding and amid salvos of artil-
lery.
Carrying a cross, l proceeded at the
head, chanting the hymn 'Te Deum Lau-
damus.' The General marched straight up
to the cross, together with all those who ac-
companied him; and, kneeling, they all
kissed the cross. A great number of Indians
looked upon these ceremonies and initiated
whatever they saw done. Thereupon the
General took possession of the country in the
name of his majesty. All the officers then
took an oath of allegiance to him, as their
| General and as adelantado of the whole
country"
| A large oil painting illustrative of this
| scene was one of the most prominent at
fractions in the cathedral and hung on the
eastern wall, bearing the following inscrip-
ton:
| First mass in ST. Augustine Florida, Sept. 8,
| 1885, at the landing Of the spapiards :
under Pedro Menendez.
| With religion came to our shores civilization :
art, science and industry ::
| This picture, in drawing and color, was
eminently artistic, and, although grown
somewhat dark with age, was not only
| pleasing to look at, but most interesting to
study. 1t measured about feet in length
by in width Some loving hands, while
the fire was at its height, rescued it from the
walls, and it is now in a place of safety.
Most of the other paraphernalia of the
church-in fact, all that was movable-was
also saved
THE BELLS BELLSl BELLsm
The church to the casual observer was not
enthusiastically great to look at, but for
generations it had formed one of the most
interesting objects for tourists i'll the 'An-
Gent City" Indian prisoners and negro
slaves performed most of the work in quar-
rying on Anastasia Island the great blocks
of coquina of which it is built. 1t stood on
the north side of the Plaza, and was in the
Moorish style, and cost at the time of its
completion in 1893, S16,650. The Moorish
belfry contained chime of four bells, and
was surmounted by cross and weather
vane. One of the bells in this belfry is the
oldest in this country, and on it could be
found the following inscription: